March 2018 by Sheila Segurson D'Arpino, DVM, DACVB

Maddie's® Idea Lab: Savings Lives and Spreading Good Ideas

Maddie's® Idea Lab supports the implementation and assessment of innovative ideas that have a high likelihood of advancing lifesaving of dogs and cats, the utilization of foster care for dogs and cats or animal welfare leadership. Come to this lecture to find out what we've learned and how these ideas are saving lives.

We'll talk about several different projects, including results from an adult foster dog program, our national playgroup survey, market research about foster caregivers, as well as the behavior and health of adopted and fostered pets via the Maddie's Pet Assistant mobile app.

This presentation was recorded at the 2018 American Pets Alive! Conference.

About Sheila Segurson D'Arpino, DVM, DACVB

As Director of Research for Maddie's Fund®, Dr. Sheila Segurson D'Arpino's goal is to develop and support research that increases pet adoptions from rescue groups and shelters and improves pet well-being. She relies upon her background working in and with animal shelters, pet foster care programs, and veterinary medicine to lead Maddie's Fund research efforts.

After graduating from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. D'Arpino worked as a general practice/emergency/shelter veterinarian at pet hospitals in California. Then, in 2005, Sheila graduated from Maddie's Shelter Medicine Program at UC Davis, becoming the first in the nation to complete a three-year, post-graduate behavior specialty training program with an emphasis on shelter animals and shelter behavior programs. She worked for several pet welfare organizations, including UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program, The Sacramento SPCA, and the Animal Rescue League of Boston, where she developed and implemented enrichment/behavior modification programs.

Dr. D'Arpino is proud to be a fifth generation San Franciscan. She first became involved with animal sheltering in 1987 by volunteering for the San Francisco SPCA's behavior department. Her experiences at the SPCA and with her American Pit Bull Terrier, Diamond, solidified her interest in animal behavior and shaped her career. She currently lives with her family and dogs in the San Francisco East Bay Area.